...[Letting the supposed 12 million illegal aliens] hold the status of those with green cards -- without the automatic path to citizenship that was the core component of critics' argument that reform efforts were really amnesty... [That scheme] may be attacked as creating an "underclass" inconsistent with American values, which have always been to give refuge to the "huddled masses." But such a compromise is clearly better than leaving these people a fugitive class. People with a lesser status are frequently referred to as second-class citizens. Congress has adamantly refused to make the 12 million people already here full citizens, but isn't it better for them to at least be secure aliens than hunted and exploited?

So, he's refering to ICE doing their job as "hunt[ing]". And, he's acknowledging that the illegal aliens that he's played a role in allowing to come here are exploited. And, he's refusing to acknowledge a third option of reducing the numbers of illegal aliens here by making sure that ICE does their job.

And, regarding the "second-class citizens" bit, don't be so hard on Specter: he's at least honest enough to admit that this is all a sham:

Or, after our borders are secured and tough employer sanctions have been put in place, Congress can revisit the issue and possibly find a more hospitable America.